National sprints coach Stephen Mwaniki says athletics enthusiasts should brace themselves for breathtaking sprint performances when Kenya hosts the 2029 World Athletics Championships in Nairobi.
For Mwaniki, the capital’s high altitude will provide the perfect stage for sprinters to produce blistering times once they settle into the blocks at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani.
“For the athletes who train at sea level, especially sprinters from countries like the USA and Jamaica, coming to Nairobi’s high altitude will be good for them,” Mwaniki said. “We will definitely see very fast times in the sprint races.”
Nairobi is regarded as a high-altitude venue in athletics, sitting between approximately 1,600 and 1,795 metres (5,250–5,890 feet) above sea level.
Unlike distance runners, who use altitude training to build endurance, sprinters often thrive at elevation because the thinner air reduces aerodynamic drag.
“The lower air resistance allows athletes to maintain greater top-end speed, making fast tracks at altitude renowned for producing exceptional sprint performances,” he said
Mwaniki’s optimism is backed by history. At the 2021 Kip Keino Classic at Kasarani, Ferdinand Omanyala exploded to an African 100m record of 9.77 seconds while finishing second behind American Trayvon Bromell, who won in 9.76. A year later, Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce lit up the same track with a stunning 10.67 in the women’s 100m, the fastest season opener ever by a woman and a mark that still stands as Kenya’s all-comers’ record.
This year, the fireworks continued at Nyayo Stadium as Olympic 200m champion Gabby Thomas stormed to a world-leading 21.89 over 200m, setting a meeting record. She also became the first woman to break 22 seconds in Kenya and recorded the fastest 200m ever run on African soil.
While predicting lightning-fast times in 2029, Mwaniki challenged Kenyan sprinters to rethink their preparation by spending more time training at sea level to match their international rivals. “We have to get our sprinters to train at sea level like the Americans and Jamaicans,” he said.
“The necessary authorities should ensure our athletes pitch camp in areas like Mombasa or the Western regions such as Siaya. If they can train at sea level, there is no doubt their performances will be top class when competition time comes.”
The coach also rallied local sprinters to rise to the occasion when the world arrives in Nairobi. “Our sprinters need to do their best in 2029 because we can’t host a World Championships and fail to walk away with any medals,” he said.
“We have to ensure those medals remain at home.”
To deliver a bumper medal harvest, Mwaniki insists the journey must begin now. “Our preparations should start as early as now. 2029 is not that far away. We have to identify the talents we have and start sharpening their skills.”
He credited Betika BingwaFest for keeping sprinters competitive during the off-season, saying such competitions have played a vital role in expanding Kenya’s sprinting depth.
“Betika BingwaFest is a very good competition for our sprinters to keep them on their toes during the off-season. That is why we had such a large number of sprinters at the 2025 Tokyo World Championships,” Mwaniki added.
In Tokyo, Kenya fielded its largest-ever sprint contingent at the World Championships, with 24 athletes competing across individual and relay events.
“Before this year ends, we need to have a BingwaFest meet so that our sprinters may build themselves for the 2027 season. Distance runners use cross country for build-up, but for sprinters they have to rely on competitions like the BingwaFest.”
Looking ahead, Mwaniki believes the 2027 World Championships in Beijing and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games will provide the ideal measuring stick before the global showpiece comes to Nairobi. “The 2027 Beijing Championships and the 2028 Olympics are a good place for us to see where we are in matters of sprints,” he said.
“Those two championships will be key to sharpening our sprinters before we come home for the 2029 World Championships.”
